Toolbox for pickup truck

ABSTRACT

A toolbox for mounting across the bed of a pickup truck, the box having an elongated rectangular body and a cover, and a latch means at each end of the cover for releasably securing the cover to the body. Either of the two latch means can be released, thereby permitting the respective end to be raised while the other latch means functions as a pivot for the cover. A yieldable support is included near the longitudinal center of the body, to support the cover in an elevated position when the box is open. A single operating means is included at each end of the cover for operating the latch means which automatically locks when the end of the cover is lowered to closed position.

Elite/d States Parker et a1.

* atent Feb. 8, 1972 Inventors:

Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No.:

TOOLBOX FOR PICKUP TRUCK Shirley L. Parker, Warsaw; John D.

Rohrer, North Manchester, both of 1nd.

Parker Industries, lne, Silver Lake, Ind.

July 1, 1910 US. Cl. ..220/31 R, 206/16 R, 217/60 G,

217/60 R, 60 G; 206/16 R, 16 E References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 657,419 3/1938 Germany ..220/31R 31,330 11/1933 Netherlands ..220/31R Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer Assistant Examiner-James R. Garrett Att0rneyHobbs and Green and Kemon, Palmer and Estabrook [57] ABSTRACT A toolbox for mounting across the bed of a pickup truck, the box having an elongated rectangular body and a cover, and a latch means at each end of the cover for releasably securing the cover to the body. Either of the two latch means can be released, thereby permitting the respective end to be raised while the other latch means functions as a pivot for the cover. A yieldable support is included near the longitudinal center of the body, to support the cover in an elevated position when the box is open. A single operating means is included at each end of the cover for operating the latch means which automatically locks when the end of the cover is lowered to closed position.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENIEI] FEB 81972 3.640.423 sum 1 or 3 SHIRLEVHLVVENTORS ARKER BY (JOHN D. ROHRER #HZAVM ATTORNEYS PATENTEI] FEB 8I972 3,640,423

SHEET 2 (IF 3 INVENTORS SH/IPLEY "L. PARKER BY d0l-l/V 0. ROHRER PATENIED FEB emz 3.640.423

sum 3 or 3 INVENTORS SH/RL EY L. PARKER BY u0/-//v 0. ROHRER ATTORNEYS TOOLBOX FOR PICKUP TRUCK Pickup trucks often have a toolbox mounted onthe truck bed immediately behind the cab for carrying a variety of different types of tools and equipment, which are frequently removed and returned by the user while standing along one side or the other of the truck. The conventional toolbox has a lid either hinged along the length of the box with the lid extending across the truck bed, or a pair of lids hinged in the middle of the box longitudinally with respect to the truck bed to permit the user to lift the lids from the sides of the truck. Both of these two conventional types of lids or covers have certain inherent disadvantages which render removal and replacement of the tools difficult, and which afford little protection to the contents of the box while the lids are raised. Further, the conventional lids or covers either require space beyond the edges of the box to open fully, or the hinges are not sufficiently watertight to prevent inflow of water from rain, snow and road slush when the box is closed. It is, therefore, one of the principal objects of the invention to provide a tool or utility box for pickup trucks, which can be fully opened from either side of the truck and the lid held out of the way while tools, equipment and supplies are placed in and removed from the box, and in which the lid supports are fully enclosed when the box is closed, thus protecting the contents of the box as well as the lid supports from water, dirt and other corrosive material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a utility box for pickup trucks, which includes a lid or cover that pivots upwardly from either end of the box when opened and, which, while providing adequate space for inserting and removing materials, maintains the cover in a position over the container portion of the box to give protection to the contents of the box from rain, dust and snow while the box is open.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a lid or cover for a toolbox or the like which covers the entire box as a single rigid piece having flanges extending downwardly over the sides of the container portion of the box to provide effective protection to the contents, and which can be opened from either end with the opposite end being releasably pivoted to the container portion.

A further object is to provide a toolbox or utility box of the aforesaid type which is relatively simple in construction and design, and which can be easily operated to open and close, and which will remain open with the cover positioned safely above the container portion, without any extraneous or exterior supporting structures.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional pickup truck showing the toolbox mounted on the bed of the truck behind the cab;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the present toolbox showing it in its closed position;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the toolbox shown in the preceding figures, the two ends being identical in construction and operation;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the toolbox showing the lid or cover in one of its raised positions;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged end elevational view and fragmentary cross-sectional view of one end of the present toolbox;

FIG. 6 is a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 5, showing the position of the lid or cover when the toolbox is in one of its open positions; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary, cross-sectional view of a portion of the latch operating mechanism of the box, the section being taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, numeral 10 indicates generally a conventional pickup truck having a cab or driver compartment 12 and a bed I4. The present toolbox I6 is shown mounted crosswise of the bed with the ends of the box resting on the two sides of the bed. The present toolbox is readily adaptable to various makes of pickup trucks and various types of beds used on such trucks.

Toolbox 16 consists generally of a body 20 formed by sidewalls 22 and 24 and end walls 26 and 28, the four walls being connected to a bottom 30. preferably joined integrally to the lower edges of the sidewalls. A cover or lid 32 is mounted on body 20 and includes sidewalls 34 and 36 and end walls 38 and 40, which are joined to one another and which extend downwardly over the sidewalls of body 20 to form an effective enclosure for the space in or compartment of body 20. The body and cover are preferably constructed of sheet metal, and either one or both may have reinforcing ribs such as the rib shown at numeral 42 in the bottom of body 20 and the ribs 44 and 46 in sidewalls 22 and 24, respectively. The latter ribs, while serving as reinforcing members, also may be used to support a sliding tray or other type of toolbox accessory. Outwardly extending flanges 48 and 50 are preferably provided at the upper edge of the two sidewalls to strengthen the sidewalls as well as provide a finished surface thereon.

Cover 32 is pivoted at each end by a latch mechanism, indicated generally by numerals 60 and 62, which permits one end to be raised while the other end serves as the hinge or pivot means. The two latch mechanisms are the same in construction and operation and hence only one will be described in detail herein. The latch mechanism 60 includes two plunger assemblies 63 and 64 mounted on the rear side of the two cover ends, each consisting of a bolt 66 and a spring 67 urging the bolt outwardly toward the side of the cover. The spring reacts between a collar 68 and the end of bracket 70 which is rigidly secured to the inside surface of the respective cover end.

The outer end of bolt 66 locks into a fixture consisting of a hole 72 in an inner wall 74 joined to an extension 76 of the two sidewalls 22 and 24. The curvature of extension 76 forms a guiding surface for the end of bolt 66 and depresses the bolt inwardly, permitting it to snap into hole 72 when the end of the lid is fully lowered. The bolt is retracted by an operating mechanism consisting of a crossmember 80 to which cables 82 and 84 are connected, the other end of the cable being connected to the respective bolt. A lever 80 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 86 which is operated by a handle 88 externally of wall 60. The rotation of handle 88 causes lever 80 to rotate and thereby move cables 82 and 84 inwardly, withdrawing bolts 66 from their respective holes 72, thus unlatching the respective end of the cover. Either end can be raised, and when the end is raised, the other end normally remains latched, thus permitting the cover to pivot from the horizontal position shown in FIG. 2 to the angular position shown in FIG. 4. The open end of the cover is held in an elevated position sufiiciently high to permit tools to be easily placed in and removed from body 20 of the box. Both ends can be unlatched at the same time if desired.

In order to hold one end of the cover in an elevated position while material, tools, or other articles are being placed in or removed from the toolbox, yieldable supports 90 and 91 hold the cover in the position such as that shown in FIG. 4. The yieldable supports are mounted on opposite sides within the box, each support consisting of a frame formed by lower members 92 and 93 pivoted to a bracket 94 on the respective side of the body, and upper members 96 and 98 pivoted to a bracket 100 on the inner side of the cover. A spring 102 reacting between the pivot points 104 and 106 urges the four members inwardly in the direction to assist in lifting and supporting the cover. When the cover is to be lowered, the open end is pressed downwardly, thus causing the four members to move longitudinally in respect to the cover and body, thereby extending spring 102 and permitting the raised end to seat and latch.

In the operation of the present toolbox with the box mounted on a pickup truck, such as that shown in FIG. 1, the cover is locked in place by bolts 66 at the four comers of the cover and body seating in the respective hole 72 of inner walls 74. When one end is to be opened, the handle 88 is rotated, thus rotating lever 80 and retracting cables 82 and 84 and the respective bolts 66, thereby withdrawing the end of the bolts from the respective hole 72 in wall 74 at opposite sides at each end. With the bolts at one end of the cover disengaged from the holes 72, the respective end of the cover can be easily raised with the assistance of spring 102 urging the four members 92, 93, 96, and 98 from the lowered position to the extended position illustrated in H6. 4. if the other end is to be opened, the toolbox is closed and the other end is then operated in the same manner as described above to disengage the two bolts from the respective holes 72, thereby permitting the end to be raised.

The cover can be easily removed from the box by unlatching both ends and removing the bolts or pivot pins securing members 92 and 93 to the respective fixtures 94; however, normally the cover is merely opened at one or the other end with the supports 90 and 91 remaining connected to the body and cover.

While only one embodiment of the present toolbox for pickup trucks has been described in detail herein, various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A toolbox for a pickup truck, comprising an elongated hollow body having extensions at each end for seating on the sides of the truck bed an elongated cover for said body, a latch mechanism disposed at each end of said cover and having a fixture at each side of said body, a releasable means in each fixture forming a pivot point on said body for the respective end of said cover, a means for unlatching the two releasable means at the same end of the cover to permit the respective end of the cover to be raised while the other end of the cover pivots on said releasable means, and a means supporting said cover in its raised position.

2. A toolbox for a pickup truck as defined in claim 1 in which said releasable means includes a longitudinally movable bolt and said body includes a tapered inclined surface with the hole at the lower part thereof for receiving the end of said bolt.

3. A toolbox for a pickup truck as defined in claim 2 in which said releasable means includes a spring for urging the respective bolt in the direction to seat the bolt in the hole.

4. A toolbox for a pickup truck as defined in claim 3 in which the means for unlatching the two releasable means includes a means located in the respective end of said cover and having the means connected to the bolts for simultaneously unlatching the two releasable means.

5. A toolbox for a pickup truck as defined in claim 1 in which said means supporting said cover in its raised position includes a spring for yieldably supporting either end of the cover in its raised position and is yieldable to permit the cover to be closed by downward pressure thereon.

6. A toolbox for a pickup truck as defined in claim 4 in which said means supporting said cover includes a spring for yieldably supporting either end of the cover in its raised position.

7. A toolbox for a pickup truck as defined in claim 6 in which said support means includes four pivotally connected members forming a support connected to the body and to the cover and said spring interconnects the members to urge them in the direction to retain the cover in its elevated position.

8. A toolbox for a pickup truck as defined in claim 7 in which a means supporting said cover is located on both sides of said body and cover and in the longitudinal center thereof. 

1. A toolbox for a pickup truck, comprising an elongated hollow body having extensions at each end for seating on the sides of the truck bed, an elongated cover for said body, a latch mechanism disposed at each end of said cover and having a fixture at each side of said body, a releasable means in each fixture forming a pivot point on said body for the respective end of said cover, a means for unlatching the two releasable means at the same end of the cover to permit the respective end of the cover to be raised while the other end of the cover pivots on said releasable means, and a means supporting said cover in its raised position.
 2. A toolbox for a pickup truck as defined in claim 1 in which said releasable means includes a longitudinally movable bolt and said body includes a tapered inclined surface with the hole at the lower part thereof for receiving the end of said bolt.
 3. A toolbox for a pickup truck as defined iN claim 2 in which said releasable means includes a spring for urging the respective bolt in the direction to seat the bolt in the hole.
 4. A toolbox for a pickup truck as defined in claim 3 in which the means for unlatching the two releasable means includes a means located in the respective end of said cover and having the means connected to the bolts for simultaneously unlatching the two releasable means.
 5. A toolbox for a pickup truck as defined in claim 1 in which said means supporting said cover in its raised position includes a spring for yieldably supporting either end of the cover in its raised position and is yieldable to permit the cover to be closed by downward pressure thereon.
 6. A toolbox for a pickup truck as defined in claim 4 in which said means supporting said cover includes a spring for yieldably supporting either end of the cover in its raised position.
 7. A toolbox for a pickup truck as defined in claim 6 in which said support means includes four pivotally connected members forming a support connected to the body and to the cover and said spring interconnects the members to urge them in the direction to retain the cover in its elevated position.
 8. A toolbox for a pickup truck as defined in claim 7 in which a means supporting said cover is located on both sides of said body and cover and in the longitudinal center thereof. 